I was banded on Wednesday and am absolutely miserable. This has been hell and I wish I had not had the surgery. I was not at all prepared for the pain and the uncertainty of what's going on inside my body. It's like I have an aliens body -The incisions hurt terribly, but when i take the pain med, I feel bad in a different way. It is hard to describe other than I feel like I am not in control of my own body. I am practically holding my breath all day long. I cannot sleep -I wake up short of breath or in pain. I can't really drink much water without feeling too full, but not full in a good way. It feels kind of like i have no stomach at all, but just an esophagus that has a big bubble in the way. So far, I've been living on small amounts of broth and Popsicles. I worry about my nutrition. Can anyone tell me what to expect for the next several days? Will I ever be able to feel comfortable again? When and how? Help please

denoument i am so sorry you are having such trouble.it is a huge adjustment. you are doing great-taking in the broth and whatever fluids is good.

Call your doctor and let him know you arent any better. Day3 i heard was the worst and by day 5 you are starting to feel likeyourself, which will be tomorrow, but it sounds like you are behind schedule.

The pain meds have helped me- i havent been able to do popsicles and crystal light seems to bother me. i have been drinking warm apple juice for the gas.

I am very very thirsty and if i drink too quickly - it HURTS. we did have something put into our body and itwill take time for us to get used to them

Maybe the pain med isnt the best one for you?dont forgetto breathe!

sending you speedy recovery thoughts.

I'm sorry to hear your having it so rough. I will say I was surprised by how much pain I was in the first few days after- especially when I would read about people going back to work two days later- no way.

I would call your Dr., they may give you other meds or want to check you out. Once some swelling goes down you'll eat a little more. I had a pretty similar experience for a few days, little sleep, lots of meds for pain. Now I'm doing great and love my band.

I hope things start to get better for you.

I agree, call your doc. And if you have it, the next time you're up for a pain med, take some liquid tylenol INSTEAD of your prescription. (don't take them both together. Your 'scrip may have acetaminophen and you don't want too much of it)

Trust me nutrition isn't a major concern right now; you've got enough fat stores to keep your body functioning. Hydration (water) is, though, so get Water in first...then popsicles. If you have a question about what's going on internally please ask and if I can help you I will.

Undertand too that your surgeon MAY have put a fill in your band during surgery. That isn't uncommon and personally I think it's kind of cruel...many people who can't drink post op find they had a surgical fill. My band thank god was wide open except for what my doc described as "a small primer" and I could drink anything. SO...you may have a fill and need some removed. Be sure to ask your surgeon.

You had major abdominal surgery even though lap surgery is less invasive than the "old" style and your innards are upset and discommoded. They are swollen and out of sorts (to put it in a non-medical way!) They will chill out over the next few days.

Think of how you feel when you overexert..sore muscles for a couple days? This is kind of similar. Things have been done in there that your stomach and esophagus aren't used to; but they will get over it.

The bubble is probably gas. If you have Gas X (they have strips that dissolve easily) take it. If you don't, have someone go get you some.

Please PM or post if there's anything else you can ask that we can help you with.

AND yes call your doc now or on monday or any time you think you're getting worse. The waking up short of breath/in pain isn't uncommon....do you have sleep apnea? The pain med may be over-sedating you (I don't even know what you've been prescribed) but make sure you aren't taking it too often. Positioning, walking, using a pillow to brace your surgical sites (hold the pillow over your stomach when you stand or sit, for example) will all help you.

Edited July 25, 200917 yr by RestlessMonkey

I was banded on Tuesday in Mexico. I woke up in the recovery room short of breath and feeling claustraphobic inside my own body. That has gone away. I also felt like I had eaten 2 Thanksgiving dinners and chased it with a 2 liter bottle of coke and couldn't burp. I was that uncomfortable. That is improving greatly. I also woke up with extrememe left shoulder pain. I cried for an hour about 4 hours after surgery it was so bad. That is much improved as well. I still get the shoulder pain intermittently, and when it comes it is quite painful and sharp. It was very grueling traveling from Mexico back to NY two days after surgery, but I made it. I think no matter how bad you are feeling or what the particular problems you are having, you will get better each day. Our bodies are all different and react differently to things. I am still retaining quite a bit of water, can't even put on my wedding ring, but I am sure that will also improve as everything else has. Hang in there, you will feel better and as my coordinator told me today when she called to check on me, 6 months from now we will forget all this aggravation and pain and be a lot skinnier and happier!:biggrin:

Days 2 and 3 suck for probably most everyone. Day 4 and out will be getting better for you I would think.

Best of luck to you and call your doc if you need reassurance.

I was banded on wed also. Went through the same feelings as you did, except no shoulder pain. The only difference is. When my doc released me from the hopital, he said i can take advil or tylenol in-between the pain meds(percocept). For 3 days i didn't because my nutitionist said not to for at least 6 - 8 weeks.

This morning i caved in and took 2 advil liqua gels at 10am. took a nap, then a nice warm shower.

WOW... did i feel better, The advil reduced the swelling in my incisions and must of helped with my stomach. Now i can slowly drink my Water and sip my protien shakes. The pain has subsided and man do i feel good.

I would call your Doctor first though and ask.

Good Luck, It will get better.

Let me reiterate...IF you have percocet formulated with acetaminophen (the active ingredient in tylenol) DO NOT take them both together. Don't take one when you still have the other one circulating in your system. Please call your pharmacist or doc if you doubt this is dangerous, because it is. You'll crash your liver.

Taking one and then the other when the first "wears off" is ok, or you may have percocet formulated with something else. But...if your percocet has acetaminophen, then you don't want to take it with tylenol or advil.

Gezz you just had major surgery you have to give yourself time to heal, I too had the same as you I called it me time, me has to sleep, me has to shower, me has to lay down, me needs more pain killers NOW, me need chinese broth, me needs to stand up ( I found slow walking settled some of the gas) me me me and then let yourself heal, I did feel like something wierd was living in my body, it bubbled and gurgled and carried on for about 3 weeks and is only just starting to come but to normal. I still have a bit of pain and my op was the 8 july,

Hang in there. As the gas from the surgery dissipates, that will help you feel alot better. Nutritionally, we've been told that the broth, popsicles and Water are all you need for now. You are doing good with being able to keep it all down so that is GREAT! (I'm currently in the hospital with dehydration and a kidney infection because I couldn't keep anything down so make sure you drink your water!! VERY important!!) As for the pain meds, I would talk to your doc about getting something different if you don't like the way it makes you fee. Things will get better. This site is wonderful and the people are amazing and very supportive! Also, make sure you go to your support meetings locally, as this will help you with nutritional ideas and emotional support. One last thing, check with your surgeon and see if there was a partial fill during surgery. I've read of people on this site who had a fill during surgery and didn't even know it.

Don't give up...things will get better. :biggrin:

i know exactly how you feel denoument, i was banded on july 22nd 2009 and i feel very crappy irritable stressed, in pain, miserable. constant burpin gas thatwnt come up. broth isntmyfavorite it has been i had some soupy mashed potatoes only like 3table spoons. i regret it! the gas is sopainful it takes my breathe away when i cant burp.

Does anyone know if this can cause potential problem?

i know exactly how you feel denoument, i was banded on july 22nd 2009 and i feel very crappy irritable stressed, in pain, miserable. constant burpin gas thatwnt come up. broth isntmyfavorite it has been i had some soupy mashed potatoes only like 3table spoons. i regret it! the gas is sopainful it takes my breathe away when i cant burp.

Does anyone know if this can cause potential problem?

YES it can cause potential problems, like a slip. If you ate anything (especially so close to your surgery) ahead of your post op diet, you may have caused your band to slip. food makes our stomach churn. We don't feel it but it does. There's a reason for the strict post op diets; they aren't to torture us nor are they to jumpstart weight loss. They are to allow the band to heal into place around your stomach.

Most of us are starved during the early post op phase. Even the lucky ones who start out not hungry develop a ravenous appetite before its done, usually. So you won't be the first, but you need to call your surgeon, tell him your symptoms, and how much you ate. I don't mean it as an act of confession...he's your doc, not your mama. BUT he needs to know so he can decide if you need to get checked or just should be monitored. Ok? Good luck.

YES it can cause potential problems, like a slip. If you ate anything (especially so close to your surgery) ahead of your post op diet, you may have caused your band to slip. food makes our stomach churn. We don't feel it but it does. There's a reason for the strict post op diets; they aren't to torture us nor are they to jumpstart weight loss. They are to allow the band to heal into place around your stomach.

Most of us are starved during the early post op phase. Even the lucky ones who start out not hungry develop a ravenous appetite before its done, usually. So you won't be the first, but you need to call your surgeon, tell him your symptoms, and how much you ate. I don't mean it as an act of confession...he's your doc, not your mama. BUT he needs to know so he can decide if you need to get checked or just should be monitored. Ok? Good luck.

Restless thank you so u much! i realized that it was something i shouldnt not have done. i feel so much better today. i guess what i need to do is find an alternate for the Soup since i dislike it so much. any ideas?

I was really hungry the second I woke up from anesthesia. I remember telling my nurse I wanted a steak. 2 weeks out I am still pretty hungry and hating the protein shakes. I also regret getting my band most of the time. I was in horrible pain the until 2 days ago and now I am hungry and I get upset that I can't eat what I want, even though I feel better. This is probably not a very helpful reply, but I just wanted you to know you are not alone.:tongue2:

Yes I woke up hungry too. They told me it's "head hunger"...UH NO! I know the difference! (I had a year of therapy to help me sort that out! LOL)

Honestly? I figured the postop diet was a few days in a long life. While I knew I couldn't eat that way forever I felt like I could do it for a few weeks and so I did. I didn't expect to get any pleasure, nor much nutrition, from food during that time. I did strain chicken noodle soup for the broth...also a couple of progresso Soups (the ones for ww?) again I strained, had the broth, husband got the "goods". I got to start mushies at week 3, soft foods (like baked fish) after that. So I lived through it; it wasn't fun though!

I wasn't kidding about calling your surgeon. You should tell him you ate and how much it hurt, just in case. Truly. And tell him you are starving and can't stand the soup (or whatever) and see what he tells you, ok? We're all different; just because I drank Water mostly and got through doesn't mean you should have to do that. Just don't cheat, get your doc to help you. That's what they get the big bucks for! :tongue2:

Hang in there! It gets better!

I know this sounds really simple and probably stupid but it was the only thing that helped me. I spent the first week after surgery in my recliner, half reclined with a small pillow held to my stomach. For some reason that halfway recline was very comfortable. I guess because I wasn't stretched out like lying down and not cruched up during sitting. I also held the pillow to my belly because it made me feel secure, kind of like I wasn't falling out.

Call your doctor if the pain meds aren't working. Maybe you just need something else. I took meds for three weeks after surgery and did have to change them because my body got used to them.

I am coming up on my one year anniversary in a couple of weeks and I have to agree with the previous posters. In a few months you will be thinking 'I was worried about that? The pain was that bad?'.